Using optical fiber as a transport medium for telecommunication demands special attention. The fiber must be in impeccable condition and exemplary cleanliness is preferable to limit errors that could appear at the receiver. Distance and physical pressure on the fiber can modify signal quality. It is really important to minimize controllable factors that can seriously affect quality of signal and even cause total loss of continuity.
Oil, dust and scratches can degrade the quality of signal. To correctly inspect fibers in a optical fiber connector, an optical fiber microscope (probe 10 of FIG. 1) must be used. Many companies are specialized in this technology and it is applicable for many types of connectors (SC, ST, MTP . . . ). The better known microscopes are made by Westover and Telonix.
Some connectors require specific attention in view of the high density of their smaller MTP connectors. The guide pins of some connectors pose another problem: focus can't be achieved because the focal distance of a conventional fiberscope is too short. Their lenses are too big and make contact with the MTP guide pins. Optical fibers are therefore not inspected correctly. Another restriction is that the female connector is also very complex. It contains the same number of MTP connectors but they have to be inspected without unplugging them from the connector body (not shown).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,564, issued Oct. 17, 1995 describes an apparatus and method for inspecting end faces of optical fibers and optical fiber connectors. However, the apparatus and method described therein comprises many parts, is difficult to use and to manufacture, is bulky and not easily transportable.
A practical tool for verifying the quality of each and every fiber is not presently available. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an improved optical fiber end inspection apparatus.